


More, and More, and More

by SlantedKnitting



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Butt Plugs, Butt Slapping, Crying, Deepthroating, Face Slapping, Gags, Hair Pulling, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Intense Emotions, M/M, Masochism, Painplay, Rough Sex, Sex Toys, Spanking, Stress Relief, ball slapping, mild breathplay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 08:39:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12553560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlantedKnitting/pseuds/SlantedKnitting
Summary: Merlin could not be any more stressed out. Work is falling apart and there's no hope in sight. Plus Arthur has been gone on a business trip for two weeks, which was really unfortunate timing. He just needs something to help him relax, to help him forget everything, to help himcope. Naturally, Arthur returns from his trip early and starts helping to improve Merlin's mood straight away.Modern AU.





	More, and More, and More

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know, man, sometimes I just wake up with these stories fully formed in my head.
> 
> There's a lot going on in this fic, so here are some additional details if the tags are scaring you:  
> \- There is a bunch of sexy slapping. Mostly on the butt, but also on the face and balls  
> \- The breathplay is incidental  
> \- The crying comes (mostly) post-orgasm, after all that stress relief  
> \- Merlin obviously gets off to Arthur being very rough with him, but it's not like Super Serious Masochism  
> \- There is no actual drug use in this fic, just mention of potential marijuana ingestion in the near future  
> \- These boys have way too many feelings for each other (and also empty stomachs)  
> \- There isn't a clear Dom/sub relationship here, but you could read it that way if you wanted to  
> 

Merlin opened the door to his and Arthur's flat and almost started to cry at how empty it was. He was so, so tired and all he wanted was to curl up under the covers and have Arthur play with his hair until he fell asleep.  
   
But Arthur had been away on business for two weeks. Two full weeks. Merlin was starting to lose his mind a little bit. Arthur had gone on long trips before—he'd been away for a full month at one point—but the timing of this one couldn't have been worse. As soon as Arthur had left, everything at Merlin's job began falling apart. Several people were sacked, some others quit in protest, and now the whole office was understaffed by half but with the same amount of work and the same deadlines.  
   
Merlin felt like he could barely breathe most of the time. He'd taken on as much extra work as he felt he could, and then twice as much as that, until he literally wasn't leaving his desk all day except to use the toilet. His stomach had been in knots all week from how unreasonably stressed out he was, and at this rate he wasn't sure he could make it through another full day without vomiting at his desk.  
   
Taking a deep breath, Merlin stepped into his flat and closed the door behind himself. He dropped his bag to the floor, kicked off his shoes, and flopped face-down onto the sofa.  
   
Maybe he could invite Gwaine over to get high and play video games for the night. Maybe they could order a pizza. Maybe Gwaine could bring over some vodka. Maybe Merlin could distract himself so much that everything else would be stifled. Maybe he could release some of the tension he'd been carrying around for the past two weeks. Maybe he could fall asleep without thinking about how lonely the bed felt without Arthur there.  
   
He only had to make it through three more days. Three more days and Arthur would be home again, probably stressed out and exhausted from his own work, but at least they would be together. They could take turns giving each other massages and feeding each other grapes and fucking each other senseless until they were so warm and limp and drowning in each other that nothing else would matter.  
   
Merlin hugged a cushion to his face and breathed deeply, trying to muster the energy to get up and make himself dinner. He just needed food, and that would make him feel slightly better, and then he could phone Arthur. He could set up his laptop and video chat with Arthur. They could watch a film together, Merlin on the telly and Arthur on his own laptop in the hotel. Merlin could take his laptop back to bed and fall asleep listening to Arthur drone on about the business trip and all the bad food.  
   
He heard the doorknob turning and lifted his head, realizing with a sinking feeling that he had no chance of fighting off an intruder in this state.  
   
Then the door opened and Arthur was there, dragging his suitcase behind him.  
   
Merlin blinked, wondering if he had somehow stressed himself out so much that he was hallucinating.  
   
Arthur looked over at the sofa and smiled. He dropped his case, kicked the door closed, and started peeling out of his suit jacket.  
   
"What—" Merlin's voice cracked and he sat up, scrubbing his hands over his face. "What are you… how are you back already?"  
   
"Tomorrow's meetings got cancelled," Arthur said, pulling off his tie. "Leon can handle the rest without me. Seemed like I'd be more useful here."  
   
Merlin flushed and looked down at the floor, knowing Arthur didn't mean his local office—he meant here, as in their flat. Here with Merlin.  
   
"I'm sorry," Merlin said as Arthur sat next to him. "I'm… you didn't have to do that. I'm okay. You should have stayed."  
   
"I wanted to come back," Arthur said, lifting Merlin's chin and giving him a soft kiss. "I missed you."  
   
Merlin sighed and scrambled into Arthur's lap, straddling Arthur's legs and digging his fingers into Arthur's hair. He buried his face in Arthur's neck and breathed deeply, taking in the scent of Arthur underneath the scent of travel.  
   
"Hey," Arthur said quietly, wrapping his arms around Merlin's back. "I'm here."  
   
Merlin let go of Arthur's hair and hugged his waist instead, struggling to hold back tears at how much he had needed this, at how wonderful it felt now that he finally had it, at how much more he still needed.  
   
Arthur began rubbing Merlin's back and Merlin loosened his grip on Arthur's sides, slumping into Arthur's embrace as his body went limp at the gentle touch.  
   
"Merlin," Arthur whispered some time later. Merlin shifted a little, realizing he'd been drifting off.  
   
"Mmm."  
   
"Do you want dinner?"  
   
Merlin shook his head. He hadn't been properly hungry in days and as comforting as it was to have Arthur home, he was still overworked to the point of nausea.  
   
"What do you want?"  
   
Merlin took one more deep breath against Arthur's skin before lifting his head. He went straight in for a kiss, aiming for something soft but landing somewhere closer to desperate. Arthur tightened his grip on Merlin's back and before long, Merlin was grinding down against Arthur, seeking friction and dismissing all other plans for the evening.  
   
"Are you sure you don't want dinner?" Arthur asked when Merlin pulled back to start unbuttoning Arthur's shirt. "Or like, a nap?"  
   
Merlin shook his head, focusing in on his task. He needed Arthur naked, and fast.  
   
"Okay, hold on," Arthur said, wrapping one arm tightly around Merlin's back and sliding the other under Merlin's thighs.  
   
Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck and, as Arthur stood, his legs around Arthur's waist. Arthur carried him through their flat and deposited him on their bed, where Merlin hurried to get out of his clothes.  
   
"Let me," Arthur said, pushing Merlin's hands away from his flies. He undid Merlin's jeans quickly and then pulled them off Merlin's legs with a flourish. Then, straightening back up, he finished unbuttoning his shirt and dropped it to the floor, leaving him in just the bottom half of his suit.  
   
Keeping his gaze on the obvious bulge in Arthur's expensive trousers, Merlin tugged off his own shirt and shucked out of his pants. He settled back against the pillows and gave his cock a few short tugs to take the edge off.  
   
Arthur was still standing by the foot of the bed, his chest heaving from the exertion of carrying Merlin into their bedroom.  
   
"Are you coming or not?" Merlin asked cheekily.  
   
Arthur licked his lips and undid his belt slowly, dragging it through the loops on his trousers with such deliberation that Merlin nearly stopped breathing. He dropped it onto the bed and Merlin stared at it, a dozen different scenarios involving its full-grain leather racing through his mind.  
   
Then Arthur's trousers were dropped on top of the belt and Merlin looked back up in time to see Arthur stepping out of his pants. He crawled up the bed with a predatory gaze that made the hairs on the back of Merlin's neck stand on end.  
   
"Missed you so fucking much," Arthur said, his voice practically a growl as he moved in for a bruising kiss.  
   
Merlin let Arthur take what he wanted, happy to be used for whatever Arthur needed, satisfied with whatever he could get out of this as long as it was something, anything.  
   
He wanted Arthur to be selfish. He wanted Arthur to be rough and careless and leave bruises from gripping Merlin too hard. He wanted to be fucked until Arthur was utterly spent and then he wanted to be fucked again.  
   
"How do you want me?" Arthur asked, giving Merlin the choice, as he always did.  
   
Merlin could coax Arthur into any number of positions—on his hands and knees, on his back, against the wall, bent over the kitchen table. Arthur loving taking it anywhere and everywhere. But Merlin had already made up his mind.  
   
"Inside me," he managed, choking out the words as Arthur started stroking his straining dick.  
   
"Yeah?"  
   
Merlin nodded and pushed Arthur's hand away. He was already too close, his muscles too wound tight, his body aching to release some tension.  
   
"Condom?" Arthur asked—again, as he always did.  
   
Merlin didn't like to let Arthur come inside him without a condom. The clean-up was uncomfortable and, for whatever reason, it gave him stomach cramps. If Arthur wore a condom, it meant he could come inside Merlin. If he didn't, he'd have to pull out and find some other way to finish.  
   
Merlin was about to tell Arthur to put on a condom—he wanted to be fucked hard and fast and _now_ and knew that if he asked for it that way, it would only be fair to let Arthur get off with him—but then he looked down and saw Arthur's flushed cock jutting out between them and his mouth started watering of its own accord.  
   
"No," he decided.  
   
Arthur grinned and sucked obscenely on two of his fingers before reaching down and pressing them against Merlin's hole.  
   
"Come on," Merlin said, lifting his hips. "It's fine. I'm fine." It was a lie but he was so desperate to feel Arthur's cock stretching him, filling him, dragging in and out of him, that he didn't want to waste any time.  
   
Arthur wasn't fooled, though. He traced his fingers around the ring of Merlin's muscles a few times before pressing inside. Merlin had anticipated just the tip, but then Arthur pushed all the way in and he gasped, gripping Arthur's shoulders.  
   
"Mhm," Arthur said pointedly, adding his second finger without any warning.  
   
Merlin bit his lip and tried to breathe through the sharp shock, but then Arthur was kissing him through the pain until it had lessened to a dull ache that he barely registered under the renewed sense of urgency.  
   
"Come on," he said again, squeezing his muscles around Arthur's fingers.  
   
Arthur smirked and pulled his fingers out almost to the tip before moving them back in against. He repeated this more quickly, and then more quickly again until Merlin was rocking up into his hand.  
   
"I'm—fuck, Arthur," Merlin gasped as Arthur rubbed hard against his prostate. "Come _on_ , you _arse_. I said 'inside me' like, 4 hours ago."  
   
Arthur chuckled and relented, pulling his fingers out and rolling off Merlin for a moment to dig out their lube from the bedside table. When he found it, he sat up between Merlin's legs and poured it over his fingers before slipping them back into Merlin's arse with a grin.  
   
He knew exactly how much of a tease he was being and Merlin knew he wasn't likely to give up the game based on anything Merlin said or did. So Merlin just breathed through it, trying to relax, trying to ignore the shivers of pleasure rippling up his arms or down his legs every time Arthur finger-fucked him just right. He was getting closer by the second but he didn't want to come until Arthur was inside him. He needed that, at the very least. He needed to feel full, needed to feel like he'd never be empty again, needed to feel like he'd be sore for days afterwards.  
   
When Merlin started bearing down against Arthur's fingers, Arthur finally pulled out and coated his own cock in more of the lube. He leaned down for a sloppy kiss as he pushed Merlin's legs out and lined himself up.  
   
Merlin felt the slick head of Arthur's cock pressed against his hole and held his breath as Arthur pushed forward with a groan.  
   
"Fuck, Merlin," Arthur breathed, hovering over Merlin with both his hands on the bed, panting already even though he hadn't done anything else yet.  
   
Merlin brushed the hair off Arthur's forehead and trailed his fingers down Arthur's jaw, momentarily distracted from how much he wanted Arthur to take him apart by how lovely Arthur's face was. He looked tired and needy and tense—Merlin could tell he was already close, too.  
   
"Come on," Merlin said, lifting his hips.  
   
Arthur took a deep breath and sat back up, grabbing a free pillow as he did so and sliding it under Merlin's lower back. Merlin bit his lip and waited for Arthur to test out the angle the pillow allowed. Arthur pulled out, thrust back in, and—  
   
"Jesus Christ," Merlin moaned out, his eyes rolling back in his head before he could even think to close them.  
   
"Good?" Arthur asked unnecessarily, fucking into Merlin without waiting for a response.  
   
"So fucking good," Merlin whined, lifting his hips to meet Arthur's thrusts.  
   
Arthur reached for Merlin's cock but Merlin slapped his hand away, not ready for this to be over yet. Arthur felt incredible inside him and he didn't think he'd ever be ready for this to be over. He wanted that delicious drag—the pull, the push, the stutter when Arthur felt it too—and he wanted it go on forever.  
   
Arthur leaned down for a kiss and Merlin reached up to tweak his nipples.  
   
"Merlin," Arthur hissed, his rhythm faltering for a second.  
   
"Hit me," Merlin said, suddenly needing that more than anything else.  
   
Arthur hesitated and Merlin wondered if he was asking too much for their first night together after two weeks apart, but then Arthur sat up and slapped his arse so hard that Merlin cried out.  
   
Arthur's hips picked up speed and— _fuck_ —Merlin thought he might come at any second, dick untouched.  
   
Then Arthur slapped him hard across the face and everything went blank for a few seconds as Merlin recoiled in pain. He reached up to touch his cheek but Arthur grabbed his wrist and held it down on the bed, forcing him to revel in the pulsing sting.  
   
It wasn't just his cheek, though. His whole body was pulsing, ready to come, ready to let everything go.  
   
Arthur hit him again, less hard this time, but still hard enough and Merlin's cock jerked, his balls pulling up as he started leaking more and more precome.  
   
The pace of Arthur's hips was relentless and Merlin was gasping every time Arthur's cock shoved against his prostate and his face and his arse were _throbbing_ with heat and everything was winding tighter and tighter and he was—  
   
Arthur hit him again, hard and on the other side of his face, and Merlin let out a broken cry as the tension snapped and he started to come.  
   
Arthur wrapped a hand around his cock and stroked him through it, all the while continuing to fuck him, leaving Merlin a trembling, moaning, overstimulated mess.  
   
"Arthur," Merlin whimpered as Arthur slammed into him again. "Please, please." He jerked a little as Arthur gave his sensitive cock a few more tugs and then finally pulled out, panting as though fucking Merlin were the same as running a marathon.  
   
Merlin ran his hands over his face, which still hurt but he didn't mind it, and tried to catch his own breath. He knew Arthur would be close to coming—probably _very_ close from how much he'd held himself back for Merlin's sake—and he wanted to return the favour, but he was so, so spent.  
   
"Merlin?" Arthur asked, a hint of worry in his tense voice.  
   
Merlin uncovered his face quickly and gave Arthur a smile, letting him know that it was okay and that he hadn't gone too far. If anything, he hadn't gone far enough. Merlin could take a lot and he wished he'd been able to hold out a little longer to get more of Arthur's rough hands on him.  
   
Arthur returned the smile but it was a little forced and Merlin dropped his gaze to where Arthur had a hand wrapped around his own cock, which was angrily red and rock hard and pulsing from how ready he was.  
   
Merlin sat up and wiped off his front with Arthur's discarded trousers. He gave Arthur a sloppy kiss before ducking his head down to take Arthur's dick into his mouth. Arthur hissed and tightened his grip on himself, clearly trying to hold himself back just a little longer so he could enjoy what Merlin was doing.  
   
"Come on," Merlin said, getting off the bed and gesturing for Arthur to do the same.  
   
Arthur stood, giving Merlin a questioning look, and waited for instructions.  
   
Merlin sank to his knees by their dresser and Arthur strode over quickly, shoving his cock back into Merlin's mouth without preamble.  
   
Merlin hummed around it and then sucked it down to the root, swallowing the head down his throat.  
   
Arthur choked out a few sounds and gripped Merlin's hair so tightly that Merlin thought his scalp might start bleeding. His own cock jerked a little at the pain and he gave it a cursory stroke before returning his attention to the dick stuffed in his mouth.  
   
He worked his throat, doing his best to drag his tongue along the underside, and it didn't take more than a minute for Arthur to cry out and buck forward, making Merlin choke a little as he struggled to breathe through Arthur's release.  
   
Arthur's grip on Merlin's hair only tightened as he came, until he was pulling so hard that Merlin couldn't even _think_ from how much it hurt.  
   
"Fucking hell," Arthur gasped finally, his fingers slackening a little.  
   
Merlin coughed as he pulled off Arthur's softening cock, and then he sat back on his haunches and sucked in a deep, shuddering breath. He was _so_ turned on again. He hadn't thought he would have had enough energy for another round, but apparently he had been wrong.  
   
Glancing up at Arthur, he could tell that Arthur was trying to gauge his own energy and interest level. Merlin waited patiently as they both caught their breath, doing his best to ignore how fucking hard his dick was.  
   
Eventually, Arthur dropped to the floor and gave Merlin a long, deep kiss that left Merlin aching all over for more of Arthur. He didn't know what he wanted, he just knew that he _wanted_. He wanted whatever Arthur would give him.  
   
"More?" Arthur asked, tugging on Merlin's balls.  
   
"Yeah," Merlin breathed. "Whatever you want."  
   
Arthur hummed and ducked down to lick slowly up from Merlin's balls to the head of his cock. Merlin sighed and slumped a little, fighting the urge to sprawl out on the floor and let Arthur worship him until the wee hours of the morning. Merlin loved almost nothing more than how _good_ Arthur was with his mouth, and how much Arthur seemed to love it, too.  
   
But that wasn't quite enough. Merlin couldn't do something so slow and mindless. He needed something more urgent, something to block out the stress that was already threatening to seep back in.  
   
"Hey," he said after a minute, cupping Arthur's face in his hand and pulling Arthur up for a kiss.  
   
"Hey." Arthur looked exhausted but still eager to please, and Merlin felt his heart clench a little in his chest as he remembered how much he had missed that and how much he still needed it.  
   
"What do you want?" Arthur asked, his hand straying back to Merlin's cock.  
   
"More," Merlin said vaguely, pushing his hips up.  
   
Arthur paused and then gave Merlin's balls a tap that was just this side of hard. Merlin gasped and then moaned as Arthur did it again. He nodded and spread his legs, giving Arthur full access.  
   
Arthur cupped Merlin's balls with a deceptively gentle touch before straightening out his fingers and giving Merlin's balls a solid whack.  
   
Merlin shuddered, pretty sure he was going to come if Arthur did it again.  
   
Arthur didn't, though. He got to his feet and pulled Merlin up with him.  
   
"Turn around," Arthur said before licking into Merlin's ear.  
   
Merlin let Arthur turn him around and guide him to lean over the bed. Merlin kept his arms straight and arched his back, pushing out his arse as much as he could. He wasn't sure how long he could last, but he was willing to take whatever Arthur was willing to give for as long as his body let him.  
   
Arthur stood behind Merlin, one hand on Merlin's hip to hold him steady. Merlin held his breath, waiting.  
   
He waited for so long that he wondered if Arthur had changed the plan. He exhaled and was about to ask when the first blow came.  
   
"Fuck!" Merlin cried out, struggling not to collapse onto the bed with the force of Arthur's hand on his arse. His skin stung and his cock jerked and he knew this would be over sooner rather than later.  
   
He tried to brace himself for the second hit but Arthur was on a different rhythm and it surprised him again, the _smack_ echoing in their otherwise quiet room.  
   
"Hold on."  
   
Merlin looked around in time to see Arthur walking back out to the living room. He stayed where he was, confused, until Arthur came back in a few seconds later.  
   
He was holding the tie he'd been wearing earlier and he shoved it unceremoniously into Merlin's mouth before resuming his position.  
   
Merlin let his head hang down as he tried to pull himself together and breath around the tie, which Arthur had pushed in far enough to make him gag if he wasn't careful.  
   
Arthur kissed lightly around Merlin's lower back and Merlin groaned around the tie, needing _so_ much more.  
   
Arthur took the hint and straightened back up to slap Merlin's arse again. Merlin grunted and closed his eyes, focusing on breathing through his nose.  
   
The fourth blow came on the other cheek and Merlin dropped down to his elbows with a sharp inhale.  
   
Arthur hit him three times in quick succession, leaving Merlin right on the edge and shaking with need.  
   
Merlin moaned into the tie, his dick throbbing so much he thought he might actually go insane from it.  
   
Arthur trailed a finger down between Merlin's cheeks and rubbed it against his hole, applying not nearly enough pressure.  
   
Merlin whimpered a little and crossed his arms to bury his face in them, trying to hold out if Arthur was going to fuck him again.  
   
When Arthur just continued teasing his sensitive arse, Merlin lifted his head and looked over his shoulder. Arthur was only half-hard. He didn't think it would take much to get Arthur fully hard again, but he also didn't think Arthur was going to try to come again. Merlin had always been the one pushing the limits of Arthur's stamina—sometimes Merlin felt like he would never be sated, while Arthur was usually satisfied after one orgasm. He doubted Arthur would want to fuck him if there was no happy ending in it for himself.  
   
But now that the idea was in his head, Merlin needed it.  
   
He tried to say as much, but it just came out as a muffled gargle.  
   
Arthur smirked and raised an eyebrow, prompting Merlin to try again.  
   
Merlin rolled his eyes and did his best to enunciate "butt plug," but it was still unintelligible.  
   
Arthur yanked the tie out of Merlin's mouth and Merlin coughed as his tongue readjusted.  
   
"What was that?" Arthur teased.  
   
"Butt—" Merlin grunted as Arthur gave his arse a sudden slap so hard that Merlin lost his footing and crashed down onto the bed.  
   
He lifted himself back up quickly, not wanting to give his cock even a second of pressure or friction.  
   
"Butt plug," he panted, his heart racing.  
   
Arthur's eyes lit up and he stepped away to dig through their bedside table again. Merlin rearranged himself on the bed, digging his elbows into the duvet as much as he could.  
   
"How's this?" Arthur asked, holding up a black one with a slightly rounded tip and a wide base.  
   
Merlin nodded, his arse clenching in anticipation. Arthur shoved the tie back into Merlin's mouth and then coated the plug liberally in lube.  
   
When he was satisfied, Arthur tossed the lube back on to the bed and moved behind Merlin again. He teased Merlin by pushing the tip of the plug into Merlin's hole several times, until Merlin was making pathetic noises around the tie.  
   
Arthur slapped Merlin's arse roughly and while Merlin was recovering from that, he slipped the plug in.  
   
Merlin groaned low and hung his head again as his muscles started clenching around the plug on their own, pulling it against his prostate over and over again. It wasn't Arthur's cock, but he was filled, and it felt almost too good.  
   
Arthur hit him again—the hardest smack yet—and Merlin felt tears prickling at his eyes from the sting.  
   
Arthur's hand made contact again, and again, and again.  
   
Merlin was struggling to breathe. He was crying, his chest heaving, and he couldn't get any air through his mouth and he couldn't get _enough_ air through his nose. His head felt heavy and he saw stars on Arthur's next slap and he wondered if he was going to pass out.  
   
He wouldn't have minded. His whole body felt alive—his dick was steadily leaking and he wasn't entirely sure he hadn't already come—and he was exactly where he wanted and needed to be, and he couldn't care less what the outcome was going to be.  
   
Arthur yanked the tie out of Merlin's mouth and smacked him again in the next second before Merlin had even had time to suck in a breath. Then Arthur hit him one more time and that was it. Merlin gasped, his head swimming with lack of oxygen, and came onto the duvet in wild streaks, his orgasmic contractions pulling the plug against his prostate and drawing it out until he really did almost pass out.  
   
But then Arthur was there, easing him down onto the bed and turning him onto his side, one hand on his chest to help him even out his breathing and one hand around his cock and that broad, warm chest against his back.  
   
Merlin gasped, finally able to relax his throat enough to breathe properly, and then he was sobbing.  
   
Arthur rolled Merlin the other way and Merlin pressed his face hard to Arthur's chest as Arthur rubbed his back and whispered in his ear. He couldn't make it out at first—his own stuttering breath was too loud to hear anything other than his low crying—but as he got himself back under control, he could hear Arthur saying, 'I've got you,' and 'you're okay.'  
   
"I'm sorry," Merlin managed when he had quieted down enough to speak again. "I'm sorry. It's just stress relief."  
   
"I know." Arthur kissed him gently and then rolled him onto his back again, following along and hovering over him.  
   
Merlin wrapped his arms and legs around Arthur's torso, holding on like a sloth. The thought made him smile.  
   
"There you are."  
   
That made him smile more. Merlin leaned up for a kiss and Arthur obliged even as he moved further up the bed, dragging Merlin along below him, until the pillows were under Merlin's head.  
   
"Do you feel better?" Arthur asked, brushing Merlin's sweaty hair off his face and then leaning down to kiss his tear-streaked cheeks.  
   
Merlin nodded and hugged Arthur close, trying to convey just how much better he felt through his kiss.  
   
Gradually, Merlin became aware of Arthur's dick lying heavily on his stomach. It was hard—Arthur was hard.  
   
Merlin shifted, his own soft cock rocking against Arthur's, and Arthur gasped.  
   
"More?" Merlin asked.  
   
Arthur shook his head quickly.  
   
"I don't mind," Merlin said honestly. "I had plenty of fun, so you should, too. We can keep going."  
   
Arthur looked sceptical but didn't say no, so Merlin leaned up for another kiss as he reached between their bodies to stroke Arthur's cock.  
   
Arthur groaned a little and Merlin licked into his mouth, trying to bring the moment back around to sex and not his post-orgasm meltdown.  
   
"I missed you so fucking much," Arthur said, propping himself up on his elbows and rocking his hips into Merlin's hand. "And you're so fucking—" He shuddered as Merlin's hand twisted over him. "So fucking hot when you want it that badly."  
   
He reached under Merlin and gave his sore arse a squeeze, and Merlin groaned at how Arthur's fingers stung against his skin. He imagined it was still a bright pink. There might even be visible handprints. There would surely be bruises in the morning.  
   
"I did want it," Merlin said, his voice pitched low. "I felt like I'd go insane if I didn't get it, didn't get you, didn't get you all fucking over me, hard and rough and—"  
   
Arthur cut Merlin off with a kiss and pushed Merlin's hand away so he could rut against Merlin's cock instead. Merlin was hard again now, too, and even though he wouldn't come again, the friction felt good.  
   
Arthur pulled back from the kiss with a gasp and stared down at Merlin with his mouth hanging open, sweat dripping off his hair, colour high on his cheeks. He didn't normally come twice and Merlin knew he was going to have to work for it, but Merlin didn't mind.  
   
"Do you want to fuck me again?" he asked.  
   
Arthur bit his lip and rocked his hips faster.  
   
"Come on," Merlin said, smiling at Arthur's misguided determination to involve Merlin as little as possible. "Get a condom."  
   
Arthur stilled and pushed himself up on his hands. "Are you sure?"  
   
"Of course. Just not too hard."  
   
Arthur exhaled through clenched teeth and moved down for another kiss as he felt around on the bed for the lube.  
   
"I'm fine," Merlin insisted as Arthur sat up.  
   
Arthur chuckled and tapped his finger against the plug still nestled in Merlin's arse. Merlin gasped as it nudged his prostate. He'd forgotten it was even there, and from the amused look on Arthur's face, he'd bet Arthur had forgotten it too.  
   
Arthur pulled it out carefully and then tossed it onto his dirty trousers. Merlin leaned over as best he could with Arthur between his legs and jerked open the top drawer on their bedside table. He pulled out a condom and ripped open the wrapper as Arthur started to press two lubed-up fingers into him.  
   
"I promise I'm fine," Merlin said, sitting up and sliding the condom over Arthur's dick.  
   
"I know." Arthur slid a hand to the back of Merlin's neck and kissed him sweetly.  
   
Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck and pulled him back down until Merlin was on his back and Arthur's chest was flush against him.  
   
"Inside me," Merlin whispered, barely breaking the kiss long enough to speak.  
   
Keeping his lips firmly attached to Merlin's, Arthur reached between them to guide his cock into Merlin's arse.  
   
Merlin sighed as Arthur filled him again, relishing in how different it felt compared to the butt plug. The plug didn't throb inside him as it sought out release. The plug didn't change its angle over and over again until it found something that worked for both of them. The plug didn't make him ache in his stomach and his chest from how much he wished his whole life could just be this.  
   
Arthur tore his mouth away and pressed his face to Merlin's neck again. Sure that this meant that Arthur was close, Merlin clenched his muscles around Arthur's cock to help him along.  
   
Instead of coming, though, Arthur slowed down his thrusting until he was moving in a hypnotic, rhythmic way that had Merlin struggling to breathe again. It was so slow and deliberate and each push forward felt like a confession.  
   
A confession of—  
   
Of what?  
   
Merlin played with the hair on the back of Arthur's head and Arthur looked up, his eyes red and a little wet. Merlin gasped at the sight and pulled Arthur in for a kiss. Despite the raw emotion on Arthur's face, the kiss was nothing but filthy and desperate. He started struggling with his rhythm, clearly trying to keep it slow and steady even as his hips kept betraying him and pushing in faster.  
   
When Arthur started huffing in frustration, Merlin reached out and grabbed Arthur's arse with his hands, helping to guide the speed. That seemed to help, so Merlin lifted his legs up and replaced his hands with the heels of his feet, pulling Arthur into him at the pace Arthur apparently wanted.  
   
"I love you," Arthur whispered against Merlin's jaw.  
   
Merlin dragged his fingernails down Arthur's back and Arthur shuddered, his hips stuttering again.  
   
"Are you close?"  
   
Arthur said nothing, just closed his eyes and focused on keeping up his punishingly slow fucking.  
   
"Come on." Merlin trailed a fingertip over Arthur's lower lip and Arthur leaned down for a kiss.  
   
"Fuck, Merlin," he whispered, his voice shaking. Merlin realized that Arthur's whole body was shaking. Whatever this was, he clearly needed it as much as Merlin had needed the rougher sex earlier.  
   
"I love you, too," Merlin said before dragging his fingernails down Arthur's sides and making Arthur shudder again. "I can't wait to feel you coming inside me."  
   
Arthur clenched his jaw as he moaned. Merlin continued to help guide the rhythm with his heels digging into Arthur's arse, but sped it up a little to help Arthur get to where he needed.  
   
"And I missed you," he continued, holding tightly onto Arthur's hips as Arthur started shaking more. "Every fucking minute."  
   
Arthur pressed his forehead to Merlin's and stared down at him, his eyes wide and a little frenzied. Merlin moved up for a kiss but Arthur broke it a second later, his breathing jagged.  
   
"You're so good to me," Merlin said, hoping he was on the right path. "I'm going to be sore as fuck tomorrow. But I'll feel you all day. Your dick inside of me—like now, and shoved down my throat—and your hand on my arse, and on my face."  
   
Arthur gasped and thrust in hard, his whole body jerking in Merlin's embrace as he finally started coming. Merlin held him tight, watching speechlessly as moans spilled past Arthur's clenched teeth and as his eyes never looked away from Merlin's. He let Merlin see everything, and Merlin soaked it all in, feeling more full than he had ever imagined he could be.  
   
Finally, Arthur pulled out, closed his eyes, and dropped his head to Merlin's chest. Merlin played with his hair as his breathing evened out, and then as his breathing slowed down so much that Merlin thought he might have fallen asleep.  
   
"Arthur?" Merlin whispered.  
   
Arthur looked up, looking tired but not bleary, and smiled.  
   
Merlin sighed and tugged Arthur up for a long kiss. "I love you," he said, his voice tight as he wavered on the edge of tears again. "So much it makes me stupid."  
   
Arthur chuckled and sat up, pulling Merlin with him. He wrapped his arms around Merlin's back and Merlin snuggled into Arthur's protective hug.  
   
"You're not stupid," Arthur said, petting Merlin's hair. "You're just hungry."  
   
Merlin stifled a laugh against Arthur's collar bone. "What?"  
   
"You're hungry. I'm hungry. I think everything is… our emotions are just extremely heightened right now. We need to eat. And then we'll feel normal again."  
   
Merlin took a deep breath before pulling away from Arthur, knowing he was right. "Can we order? I don't have it in me to cook."  
   
"Of course." Arthur gave Merlin a long but chaste kiss. "Go hop in the shower. I'll phone in an order and join you in a minute."  
   
Merlin nodded but didn't move.  
   
Arthur grinned and grabbed Merlin's hands. "Come on," he said, shuffling to the edge of the bed and pulling Merlin with him. "We can do it."  
   
He stood and Merlin followed, if only to give him another kiss.  
   
"Thank you for coming back," he said, giving Arthur's hands a squeeze. "I missed you. And—you were very much useful."  
   
Arthur let go of one of Merlin's hands and reached around to squeeze his arse. Merlin winced a little and Arthur pulled him back in for another hug.  
   
"Shower," he said gruffly, kissing Merlin's temple. "Then dinner. Then bed."  
   
Merlin nodded and stepped away before he could get too comfortable in Arthur's arms. He hurried into their shower and fiddled with the taps until the water was comfortably hot. He soaped up and washed himself off, and then started lathering shampoo into his hair when Arthur still hadn't joined him.  
   
He was rinsing the shampoo out when Arthur finally stepped into the shower with a ridiculous smile.  
   
"What did you do?" Merlin asked, suspicious.  
   
"I ordered dinner," Arthur said, rubbing soap over his front.  
   
"And?"  
   
"And Gwaine's bringing over dessert."  
   
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Special brownies?"  
   
Arthur nodded and Merlin pushed Arthur against the tiled wall to give him a long kiss.  
   
"You're the best."  
   
"They're as much for me as they are for you," Arthur said.  
   
Merlin knew it was a lie. "Doesn't matter. You're still the best. I'll thank you properly in the morning."  
   
"What does that mean?"  
   
Merlin licked his lips suggestively and then laughed at the way Arthur's expression slackened with understanding. He gave Arthur another kiss and then stepped out of the shower to dry off, get dressed, and wait for their deliveries.


End file.
